Snippets of Life
by Vynx The Werewolf
Summary: Jason never expected a normal life when he came back from the dead. But then life happened. Rating may be subject to change. Jason Todd/OC, Red Hood/OC
1. Meeting The Family

Holy shit, I'm ALIVE! And more importantly, POSTING!

For those of you waiting on more from Change of Heart, I can't say when that will be. I just don't know. I'm working on it and still working a full time job so life has been unbelievably busy for me. But I'm trying. And I'm happy because I'm writing about Batman and the Bat Family. I have always been a huge fan of Batman and this is a long time coming for me. So please enjoy, even if it's random as FUCK.

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Jason wanted to go home, not be on a roof in the downpour that started somewhere around an hour ago. He had so many other important things he needed to get done, mainly sleeping, and having to listen to Dick prattle on about the newest girl he was seeing, in the seemingly endless parade of them, in his ear was grating on his nerves. It also didn't help that his only pack of cigarettes were sodden and he knew it would be a while before he would be able to get another pack of them, thankfully they were the cheapest he could find so he wasn't out of too much coin. Damien 'tt's something that Dick says back to him, some nasty comment about how he only seemed to see harlots probably, and again Jason is reminded about how much he hated working with family.

Tim and Bruce were both quiet, ignoring the argument that was happening between the oldest and the youngest of Bruce's wards/children. Hell, the only reason Jason was even here was because Black Mask had decided to encroach into his territory and far to close for comfort. Not that he was telling anyone of these clowns exactly why he was willing, sort of, to work with them.

The rain beating down on his helmet was starting to feel like someone playing the drums on his head though he was happy that it was sealed tight against the water even if his clothing was quite the opposite. He really didn't need to be getting a cold at this time.

" **Hood.** " Bruce's voice was completely Batman and caused a slight shiver to crawl up his spine, but if asked he would blame the weather.. maybe.

" **Copy B.** "

" **There, at the corner. You see them.** " Jason looks down the seven story building he was on to the indicated location and finds a gathering of at least 7 huddled under a street light, the masks they wore indicating who they worked for. Under his helmet Jason grins, noting which ones were packing heat and which ones would have less lethal but no less painful means of protection.

" **Yeah I see 'em. They're just the runners though, need to find the boss-man they're waiting for.** " Out of the corner of his eye he sees a flash of red and yellow swing past, the sound of the grappling hook lost in the rain.

" **Robin, stand down!** " Bruce commands but the youngest of his children ignores him.

" **I'll make them talk.** " Was the comment relayed to them before all hell seemed to break loose when he lands. The four launch themselves from their perches, each far enough away that they weren't on top of each other but close enough to offer help if needed. And with the cacophony of the guns firing at the 16 year old, they knew they needed to help. Jason didn't understand how Damian could still be this hardheaded after working with both Bruce and the Teen Titans. He curses Bruce in his head for talking him into using rubber bullets when the baddies had seemed to skip the memo.

It was a dance he was familiar with; ducking when he needed, striking out a lucky hit when he could, shooting when he couldn't. He was paying almost all of his attention to his own fight, halfway listening to the comments the others were making until..

" **Shit, more guys just showed up.** " Tim groans out as he leaps out of the way of a crowbar aimed at his head, rewarding the idiot with a smack across the face with the bo staff he was twirling around. The guy falls to the ground in a heap unconscious but more, many more, take up his fight. Suddenly Damian gives a short cry of pain that really hadn't been a scream but would only ever be as close to one they would ever hear come from the Demon. Jason looks back to his youngest brother, finding him pinned against the building by two guys, one of which had the teen's left arm bent _around the corner_. Jason fights the wince and fires several rounds at the baddies, giving Dick the chance to grab hold of the fourth Robin and grapple them both away. The rest remained a blur until there were an untold number of unconscious bodies surrounding the three, though Bruce had one held against the wall off the ground, his voice that angry growl of Batman that Jason was glad wasn't directed at him at the moment.

" **Robin's in bad shape guys.** " Dick comments over the radio, the tone of his voice strained. Bruce had already finished with the guy, seeing as he was laying in a disgusting puddle of filth out cold, and Jason could see the change in his posture almost immediately. It was the same change that happened anytime any of his kids were hurt, the change from vigilante to father.

" **How bad?** " The Bat's voice was gone and Bruce was there, even as he fired his grapple gun in the direction Jason was sure Dick had gone. Dick was quiet for a moment.

" **I..I can't get the bleeding to stop.** " Jason's heart almost stopped then as he followed Bruce, Tim just behind him, and all three land on the roof of some random apartment building. Jason notes that his own isn't far from where they are, and he silently prays that everything else was okay. Dick had Damian propped up against a stairway access, hands pressed against the youngest's right side. Damian's arm was still bent at a near right angle, something that made Jason's stomach do a queasy flip. Bruce and Tim were at his side almost at the same time their feet had touched the gravel.

"Alfred and Dr. Leslie are still out of town?" Tim questions and Jason didn't need the com to know what he was saying. They were all close enough that it was irrelevant, and Jason could see Bruce nod once in answer.

He could also see the wheels trying to work in the three's brains, but no answer was being brought forth. He wrenches off his hood, the domino mask he was wearing pulling tight the skin around his eyes as he frowned and pulled out his cell tapping a name at the top of his call list.

Either way, he was a dead man (again) now.

Sleep was a difficult thing to come by now for the young woman currently tangled up in the blankets and wrapped around the body pillow. She had managed to finally find a position that was somewhat comfortable with her current condition and the downpour had helped tremendously with calming her nerves. However, the sound of the most annoying ringtone (she would change it and find it returned to the stupid sound over and over again) playing _loudly_ by her head caused her to growl and answer voice thick with sleep.

"Someone had better be in trouble becau-"

" **Babe.** " She stops her tirade at the voice and tone. Something was wrong.

"Jay?" A quick look at the alarm clock showed that it was around 3 AM. He never called her when he was on patrol.

" **Get your kit ready. Bringing you a baby bird that's hurt.** " She sucks in a breathe through her teeth, disentangling herself from the sheets and getting out of bed with as much grace as she could.

"How bad?" She questions, tugging on a pair of slippers before exiting the room to head to the living room and unlocking the window to the fire escape. She then turns around to the bathroom to find her first aid kit.

Its a heartbeat before he answers her question. " **Bad.** **The family is flying around me.** " She stops for just a second, realizing just what this statement meant. She swallow a small lump forming in her throat, from fear or hormones she wasn't completely sure, and makes her way back to the living room. She cleans off the small dining table of the few things that had been left on it, setting her kit down on a stool she pulls from the island bar.

"ETA?" The sound of the unlocked window being opened greets her.

" **Now.** " She turns with enough time to see Jason's helmet get flung onto the couch and the man in question clambering inside backwards. Two arms loll around listlessly, one obviously broken and tried to be reset in its disjointed movement, and then another body climbs inside holding onto the young man Jason was carrying. His skin tight suit was black and blue, two metal rods poking out over his shoulders, and she clicks off the phone.

"Table now." Jason knew that voice, no nonsense and authoritative. His sweet girlfriend had been replaced by the trauma surgeon and for this he was grateful. He follows her orders, dragging Dick along with him and places the paling Robin on the table, stepping away with enough time that the girl with rubber gloves and scissors was already cutting off clothes. He notices a quick glance his way out of the corner of her eyes, the gray orbs like steel at the moment, before they return to the task that was at hand for her. Dick and Tim begin to protest but a quick, cutting look directed at them from the short woman quiets the noise. Jason walks around her, he didn't need to get stuck with a needle with the speed she was moving at, and makes his way to the living room were Dick, Tim, and now Bruce were standing as they watched the short, round woman working. He ignores the pointed looks directed at him while peeling off the mask, the spirit gum pulling at the fine hairs on his face, and closes the window. He could hear his shoes making the squelching noise and pulls them off, placing them under the window before heading into the bathroom for towels.

Once inside he gives himself a once over, mentally preparing himself for the inevitable questions. This part of his life wasn't supposed to mix with the other part. He flings his jacket into the hamper then peels off the wet shirt and pants next, finding clean dry clothes waiting for him on the back of the toilet. As he was putting the shirt on he hears a cry of pain and runs out of the bathroom to find his two brothers and his father holding down his youngest brother as the small woman cauterizing the stab wound, the young man flailing at the pain that was having to be inflicted upon him further. It was only for a few seconds but in Jason's mind, it was an eternity. And then the needle was back out, sutures being made in a efficient and quick manner.

Jason watches the woman, dark hair falling out of the messy bun she slept in, and felt a small prick of pride. His woman, not that he would ever call her that out loud, was saving his demon brother's life. Maybe things wouldn't be quite as bad as he was thinking. He heads back to the bathroom, gathering up the towels he had left in a heap on the floor and returns to the living room. His family was hovering over their member, ready for anything. The girl in question was removing the bloody gloves and disposing of them in the trash before checking the metal sink, putting the stopper in it and turning the hot water on full blast, filling it halfway. She waddles (adorably so) around, picking up the towel with the medical instruments that she had used and dumping them into the hot water. He watches as she then leans slightly against the sink, and Jason pauses in cleaning up the wet mess they had made. He tosses each of the vigilantes a towel as he walks over to her, wrapping his arms around her small frame. She was shaking slightly and he lets her lean against him. A quick exhale lets him know she was in control and he releases her. She turns around to face him, arms crossed over her chest and an unhappy look in her eyes.

"A baby bird huh?" She swats at his arm with no intention of hurting him. "You're lucky doctors are adrenaline junkies. Surgeons more so." He gives her a grin.

"Hey, you were the one always complaining I wasn't going to introduce you to the family." She scoffs, smile tugging at her lips.

"I think you've lost us." Tim pipes up, scratching at the back of his cowl.

Jason turns to his family, arm slung around the young woman's back. "This is my girlfriend, Ashley or Ash for short."

"Ash appears to be pregnant Jason." Bruce answers, taking in the entirely relaxed visage that was his second oldest. Jason's grin widens.

"Caught that did ya?"

"Jay, you're terrible." The woman shakes her head.

"Terribly cute." Jason quips.

"I was going more for pig headed." Ash retorts back, stepping away. She waddles back over the young Robin, pointedly ignoring the way all three tense up. She gives him a once over, assessing if it would be okay to move him. "Jay, go get the round pillow and a blanket. He's not going anywhere." Jason nods and does as told, though he does linger for a second outside what the three were guessing was the bedroom. The woman turns to them and gives them a soft smile, one that lets them know they were safe. "You don't have to keep wearing the masks."

"Oh, they'll keep them on until they die if they think they need to." She sends a frown in the direction of the bedroom before she notices Dick costume.

"You're hurt." Dick winces as she waddles over to him, picking up some gloves as she moves from the first aid kit and puts them on, touch gentle as she turns his arm enough to see the wound fully in the light. It was a diagonal slash, shallow and barely bleeding, and she gives him a rather harsh look. He feels like a little kid again when she leads him over to a chair and begins to clean the wound with alcohol. "You're lucky, you won't need stitches. But do keep this clean. I have a feeling that whatever made it was far from clean." Once done she then waddles over to the couch, all but collapsing into it. Jason was tucking the pillow under Damian's head and tossing the blanket over him before heading over to the couch to sit with the small woman, setting his helmet on the floor. "You're cleaning the mess up in the morning."

Jason laughs as he buries his nose in her hair. He breathes her scent in, the calming smell of cranberries from her shampoo filling his lungs. He takes a moment to orient himself, before he looks back over to his family. Dick was rolling his mask off his face and Tim had already removed his cowl, Bruce was still wearing his though Jason could tell he was almost to the point of removing it.

He kind of hated that he could tell that.

"Ash, this is Dick, Tim, the little guy you were working on is Damian, and the big guy is Bruce." Jason points to each in turn and ignores the almost glare Bruce gives him, one that was halfway to Batman.

"Well, like the fool told you, my name is Ashley; Ashley Roberts. Or Dr. Roberts as my patients call me." Now everything made sense to Bruce, why exactly Jason was so okay with the woman, why she had made a joke about surgeons. Bruce pulls off his cowl and watches as she turns to Jason and punches him in the arm.

"Bruce freaking Wayne is your dad! You ass-hat, you could have at least warned me." Jason mock rubs his offended appendage, grin still in place. Bruce pulls a dining room chair into the living room, aware of the fabric couches and chairs, and sits across from the two. He notes that Jason's posture changes some, from languid and relaxed to defensive, not that the woman seemed to notice.

"I think Jason here has a lot of explaining to do." Bruce gives her the trademark Wayne smile, which she just blinks at unaffectedly. Beside him Dick coughs to cover up his laugh and Tim finds the assortment of instruments in the left out first aid kit interesting. Jason's grin returns and widens, an almost cackle like laugh escaping him.

"Congratulations Bruce, you get to be a grandpa."

Coffee had been made twice, breakfast with the second pot at around 8 AM, and Damian was finally starting to wake up at about 10. Jason kept the woman away from him, telling her that they needed to explain what had happened and where they were before she would be able to get near him. She instead busied herself with getting him something to eat that would be easy for him. A glass of cool water was given to Dick and after maneuvering Damian around to a rather comfortable lazy-boy, he was eating a simple vegetable broth with a few soft veggies. She was kept behind the counter in the kitchen, well enough away that if the Demon decided to attack, and he was angry enough at himself to do so, they would be able to stop him.

With a heavy sigh Ash looked over at Jason who looked back at her. "I need to check him."

"Oh no you're not. He's evil I tell you."

"Then why did you bring him here?"

"Because Dick would never have shut up if the brat died." Dick shoots Jason a glower, the four men still dressed in their suits.

"Uh huh, yeah, sure." Damian watches as she waddles? around the kitchen counter and mentally prepares himself. That preparation goes up in a puff of smoke when the woman's stomach comes into view and Damian's jaw falls open as he looks over at Jason.

"You've spawned!?" He chokes out, throat still raw feeling and tired. The woman rolls her eyes as Bruce pulls the chair he had been sitting it beside Damian and remains beside the woman as she sits, pushing the tray out of the way.

"He's very proud of himself for that." She smarts back, a little laugh in her voice. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine." Damian retorts back haughtily, nose in the air. She snorts.

"For someone who was bleeding out on my dining table not but 7 hours ago, I doubt that's true. Feeling any lethargy, pain where there normally isn't, any irritations around the stitches?" Damian gives her a glare, eyes narrowing slightly. He twists his torso and winces visibly, swatting away both Bruce and Ash's hands with his one good one. Ash stands and is infront of him, squatted down and forcibly looking at the sutures. The skin around them was red and irritated but they hadn't ripped yet. She grabs hold of the arms of the chair to stand and has both Bruce and Dick helping her up, holding onto her upper arms as she does. "Arm." She commands, holding out her hand for the broken appendage. Damian's glare deepens.

Jason sips his coffee as her eyebrows shoot up before the relaxed look is on her face. Tim looks between all of them, settling on Jason who smiles at him. The hairs on the back of his neck begin to rise.

"Damian Wayne, you will let me look at your arm this moment or so help me I will make sure you go flying right out that window and into the nearest all female school." Jason snorts and stands over the sink, hot coffee dripping out of his nose. His girl wasn't stupid, she knew just how all those teen girls flocked and cooed and awed over the youngest Wayne. He also knew that her threat was far from empty, impractical but not empty seeing as she couldn't manhandle him herself. Tim was making a choking sound, trying not to laugh at the absolute horror that seemed to take over the young man. Dick was giggling quietly, shoulders shaking, and Bruce looked over at her with something akin to surprise. "I'm sure they would love to take care of you all by themselves." Damian's arm was in her hand the moment the words left her lips and he was 'tt'ing to cover up his winces, face red from embarrassment.

Jason cleans himself up and leans on the island. "Babe, have I told you how much I love you?"

"Not today." Her attention was focused mainly on the 16 year old infront of her when she answers, checking over the splint that she had Jason put Damian's arm in.

"I love you so fucking much."

"Your cigarettes got wet last night didn't they?"

"Yeah." She lets go of Damian's arm, who then cradles the appendage to himself as he leans as far away from her as possible.

"You're not getting anymore." She gives him a withered look and Jason laughs. Ash rolls her eyes before looking at Bruce. "How are all of you going to get out of the apartment dressed as you are?" Jason laughs again. Bruce hadn't heard him laugh, really laugh, since before the accident. Damian mumbles something in Arabic at the woman.

"Damian." The young man blinks owlishly at his father who gives him a dark look. "She saved your life. What you did, that was stupid and reckless." Ash once more waddles over to the couch, listening with half an ear to the lecture the teen was receiving. It was probably the most watered down version Bruce could give, not saying what they had been doing or what had happened to cause the young Robin to have gotten hurt. Not that she really wanted to know. Jason would do much the same, watering down what he had been up to on patrols enough so that it was really just the sound of his voice that would help to lull her into a real sleep. And boy was she tired. She hadn't been sleeping well enough, even with Jason taking on a vast majority of the tasks she normally did on a daily basis. She knew he was tired as well, something irritating him and keeping him awake. She glances over and notes his entirely relaxed posture, even as Tim talked to him as he poured himself another cup of coffee. God she missed coffee. She missed caffeine really, coffee was just the pleasant taste used to cover the most addictive drug known to man.

Her eyes widen for a moment, hand flying to her stomach as she giggles. "Well, someone is awake." She mumbles quietly to herself. Or so she thought because Dick was kneeling infront of her, blue eyes on the expanse that was her stomach. A portion of her raises, being pressed up from the inside, and Dick's eyes widen to saucers. Ash giggles and watches as he lifts a hand to settle on her stomach, stopping before he touches her.

Ash rolls her eyes and covers his hand with her own, pressing down on his fingers till a foot presses back. Or maybe it was a hand.

"Woah, think you got a fighter here Jaybird." Dick comments looking over at Jason. Ash mouths out Jaybird to him and he just smiles.

"Tell me about it. Kid doesn't understand that I'm not a punching bag."

"You're not a punching bag? I'm the one carrying around your spawn. I've had to deal with it for months before you ever noticed anything." Jason laughs loudly as Tim sets his drink down to walk over to her. He removes his gauntlets, setting them down on the side table, before taking a seat beside her.

"Move over Dick." Ash laughs, as Dick unhappily gives up his position to Tim though he sits on the other side of her on the couch. She takes Tim's hand and does much the same, pressing down just enough for the baby inside of her to respond by pushing up. Tim gives out a breathless laugh, a soft smile falling onto his face making him seem much the man of only 23. Both men were then vying for the attention of the unborn child within her, fingers pressing gently into flesh.

Bruce watched the interaction of his sons with the woman, who just sat back and allowed the sort of war to happen. He looks over at Jason, the son he thought he had lost forever. And now his son was going to be a father. He may not know this woman but she had his respect for letting Jason be... Jason. He then looks down at Damian and feels like this interaction, what his oldest sons were doing, should have been something that had happened with Talia. That Damian had really missed out on so much by being raised with Ra's as an assassin. But maybe, just maybe, this was something that would be good for all of them.

He was, after all, about to be a Grandpa.


	2. Tea

Ash startles awake, some unknown thing forcing her from a rather pleasant dream, and after having lived with Jason, the Red Hood, she learned that if something woke her she needed to find out what. Jason was passed out beside her, quiet snores escaping him as he was flopped on his stomach with his head turned the opposite direction of her. He hadn't patrolled the last couple of nights, claiming his daughter was sick and needed him. Ash knew it really was because he felt that he had missed so much already of his little girl growing up that he felt like he was left out. He told her that three years had blown past him before he could blink.

Something clatters in the kitchen and Ash rolls her eyes as the man doesn't even move which could mean either he was that exhausted or there was no threat to her. Still, she grabbed the slugger she kept by the bedroom door before opening it and getting blinded by the lights. She blinks to clear the spots in her vision and then spots Damian standing at the island staring at her.

She puts the bat down.

Ash closes the door to bedroom and walks over to the island, sitting at the bar. She sighs as she catches the time. "Dami, its 4 in the morning. What are you doing here?"

"It's only 3:45."

"Semantics."

"I.. I couldn't sleep." She looks at the 19 year old. So much of him reminded her of Bruce but then at the same time didn't. They still didn't tell her everything they did but she could piece together things on her own, especially when the police were bringing in criminals that has broken bones or concussions. Damian eyes were tight, and he was trying to play off that nothing was really wrong with him, even with his admission. The woman stands up, directs the young man to the seat she had vacated, and begins to prepare them lemon tea. She watches him as she maneuvers around, pouring the hot water into two cups from the coffee machine, and then sets one down infront of Damian. He takes it, ignoring the heat, watches the water beginning to change colors. Finally he looks up at her, a scowl on his face.

"Do you think I'm... different?"

"What do you mean?" She questions and he looks off to the side, the scowl deepening. "Dami, what's wrong?"

He remains quiet, looking at the door to his niece's room. When he looks at her again, his face was pinched and she could tell he was irritated by something. "There was a girl, she said I was weird." He admits quietly, and Ash has to fight the smile that wanted to break out on her face. So, Damian found someone he liked?

"So?" She presses gently, playing with the tea bag in her cup. He doesn't answer her and she rolls her eyes when he looks to her and Jason's bedroom. "What happened?"

Damian gives a long suffering huff, one she knew was for show, and begins messing with the tea bag in his own cup. "How is it that you and Todd have yet to have a fight? You don't seem like the type of person who is okay with being left in the dark about things."

Ash snorts as she pulls out the tea bag, letting the excess tea run down the side before throwing it away. "We do fight. Often actually. But we also understand each other. I know Jason is still broken in someway, he'll probably never really be fixed. I have issues with that because my profession is healing. And I have to deal with the aftermath of this family's fights. I'm still mad that I had to put a guy in an induced coma because he called Jason a wuss and Jason beat him almost to death. Jason has issues with me wanting to save everyone. Tells me that there are some people out there that just do not deserve to live. And I know that the Joker has something to do with it." Damian looks away then, back to the couple's room.

"And yes Dami, you are different. But it's not a bad thing. Use it to your advantage. Girls like guys who are confident in themselves, and honestly, I don't see a reason why you would think that you being you is bad." She takes a sip of her drink, allowing the heat to soothe her throat and begin the relaxing from the inside.

"I wasn't raised like a normal person."

"I figured. You refused to hold Faye until she was several months old." He shoots her a look and she responds with a kind smile. Damian gives a short, quiet snort of a laugh before taking a drink of his tea.

"This tastes awful."

"Shut up, its wonderful."

"Your taste buds must be confused."

"Damian, I like lemons." Damian gives her a look before he begins to realize something.

"You didn't make coffee." His eyes widen at her and she winks, bringing her pointer finger to rest against her lips.

"Don't say anything." She takes another drink of her tea, hoping the nausea wouldn't hit till later.

"Father will be excited."

"So will Jason. Do you want a blanket and pillow?"


	3. A Welcomed Stranger

Ashley Roberts was a well educated woman, she had lived in Gotham long enough to know that it was known as the crime capital of the world for a reason, and that random strangers falling through the roof of her living room and remaining sprawled on the floor groaning in pain was definitely classified as _**bad**_. However as she looked at the man, whose hand was wrapped with a blood crusted bandage and various other bandages covered his upper torso, curses littering the groans escaping his mouth, she found that she didn't want to flee but help him. She takes a step closer, looking up into the massive hole he had fallen through into the abandoned portion of the world crappiest, and not all that cheap, apartments. She watched as a soiled bandage flutters down to land across the man's face, halting the words flowing out of his mouth.

Ashley giggles, hand flying up to cover her mouth and to stop the noise coming from her. His head twists to the direction she was in, not even attempting to move the cotton covering his face.

"Oh yeah, laugh at the more than likely paralyzed guy." He huffs out, lips curling up into a smile.

Ashley arches one slim eyebrow, her lips wanting to break out in a smile of their own. "If that were so, you wouldn't be able to move your head so easily. Your not acting as if anything is stiff or out of place and for some reason, I want to believe this has happened more than once." She responds to him and watches as he pushes off the cotton with his unbandaged hand and she was met with the most breathtaking green eyes.

"Jason Todd."


	4. Happy Birthday

"Jason?" Ash calls out, noting the rest of the apartment was dark. She flicks the switch for the lights and isn't surprised when nothing happens. Lightning flashes, followed by a loud crack of thunder that makes her jump, slamming the door closed in the process. Both kids were with Bruce for the night, happily driving the man crazy more than likely. She didn't like how still everything was and if her cell hadn't of died on the way home from Wayne Manor, she would be using the flashlight installed on it. She holds her arms out to feel her way around the apartment, even if she stubs her toe on a toy, that had somehow escaped being put away earlier in the day, and she curses loudly as she leans against the couch and rubs the offended toe. Damn what she wouldn't give for a flashlight at the moment.

 _'Jason's not home yet, good.'_ After the last several years of the pair working with just her paycheck from Gotham General to pay for all the bills, Bruce had managed to remove the stigma that Todd had died and was now working under him as Head of Security in Wayne Towers. Much celebration had happened, both for the children and the adults now that Jason was no longer technically dead. Not long after that Jason had popped the question and they had tied the knot. The honeymoon was more family vacation than anything but both parents were okay with that. But today was a long time coming, a real honey moon for the two now that everything had finally settled down to a dull roar. Between offers of jobs because she had married into the Wayne family and the prestige that came with it and the annoying paparazzi following her and Jason and the rest of the Wayne's around, it was August before she knew it.

The 16th of August to be exact. Jason's birthday. He hated his birthday growing up but now with his own little family it was getting easier. The kids had woken him up with hand-made birthday cards and french toast, singing well off-key while he tried to eat. He mercilessly tickled them, chasing them around until all were out of breathe yet still laughing. He then kissed them goodbye after getting ready for work, looking smart in his suit that he hated. But now it was just her alone in their apartment and she had the run of the house. She makes her way into the kitchen, finally finding one of Jason's old lighters and a package of unscented tea lights.

A figurative light bulb goes off over her head. She could work with this.

Jason trudges down the hall of the apartment, legs aching from having to walk up so many goddamn stairs because the fucking power had to go off earlier. Juggling the cell in one hand and his keys with the bottle of wine Ash had asked him to grab in the other, he somehow manages to unlock and open the door then kicks it closed behind him. He just wanted this day to end, he had had enough with the 'Happy Birthday Mr. Todd's as is it was. His eyes were closed tight as he leans against the door, fumbling with the locks to make sure they were secure. When he opens them he finds a trail of tea lights leading into the bedroom which was lit in a soft glow.

He shuts off the flashlight on his cell and drops it and his keys in the bowl by the door, tugging the tie he was wearing off and beginning to remove his jacket as he follows the candles. The sight that met him brings a wide smile to his face.

Ash was wearing his Red Hood shirt, the neck of which was falling off one shoulder, and he was fairly certain nothing else was on underneath. Her dark hair was a tousled mess that fell in waves down her back and front. She was kneeling on the bed with a look that told him to come hither, if the finger she was crooking at him told him anything.

"Happy Fucking Birthday to me." Jason comments, as he heads to the bed while removing the monkey suit. Ash was more than happy to oblige in helping.


	5. The Cave

Faye and Willow were sure that their dad and uncles and grandpa weren't like other families. They knew there were secrets being kept from them, no matter what their mother told them. They would wake up in the middle of the night sometimes to any of the adults being over and mother would be doing the doctor thing. No matter how many times they begged her to tell them what was going on, how much they followed around Grandpa or Uncle Alfred or Uncle Dick or Aunt Barbara, they couldn't figure out what it was exactly.

However when Faye was 7 and Willow was 4, they found themselves playing in the library with the really old grandfather clock they weren't supposed to touch; shoving one another playfully until Willow shoves Faye into the big arm chair that Grandpa would sit in with them and read the really good books to them. Faye gets angry and chases Willow to the clock and pushes her back into the side of the clock, eyes widening as the clock starts sliding and ready to run when it falls over. However it doesn't happen but instead shows them a doorway and stairs that lead down into the dark. They look at one another for a moment before they slink down the stairs.

"What's down there sissy?" Willow questions, voice small and quiet as she hold onto her older sister's shirt who was walking beside her. Willow's dark hair, much like her daddy's and was perched high on her head in a ponytail, swishes around as she looks at her sister. Faye's short reddish-brown hair was cut into a bob, courtesy of their mother after the girl had gotten a hold of a pair of scissors, and she attempts to tuck a piece behind her ear but it falls back into place and she frowns.

"Dunno Will." Faye answers as they keep walking and a light finally shines at the end of the stairs. A smile breaks out over her face. "But we're gunna find out."

"You think its the garage?" Willow questions as they step off the last stair and into a massive cave. Both girls eyes widen and mouths drop open in wonder.

"Who's in here?!" Calls out a harsh sounding voice causing both girls to grab hold of the other and look around. By a massive computer they see a man dressed in red, yellow, and green, a green mask covering his eyes. The shock on his face surprises both girls and then the sound of running down the stairs is heard.

Bruce grabs hold of the girls and they wrap their arms around his neck, burrowing their faces in his shoulders. He sighs, looking over to Damian. "Not exactly what I had planned for this evening if you were wanting to know Damian." Faye's head pops up, large silvery eyes widening even more as she looks over to the red clad man then back to Bruce, and then watches as Damian leaps over to where they were standing. He heaves a heavy sigh, peeling the mask off his face.

"Ashley will not be happy."

* * *

"Momma! Grandpa is BATMAN!" Willow yells out the next morning, sitting at the bar to the island in the kitchen. Alfred sets a plate of waffles drenched in syrup infront of the two girls, pausing at the admission the young girl says. Ashley and Jason stop in their tracks at the door frame, a dark look on the girls mother's face as she looks over to Bruce and Damian who were sitting quietly drinking coffee and pointedly reading different newspapers. Jason, on the other hand, leans against the wall smothering his laughter with his arm.

"Seriously?" Ashley's look is then directed to the girls father who sobers up almost instantly, he knew well enough that if he didn't the couch was going to become his bed for the next several nights.

"They found the cave." Alfred answers for the two men as he turns around to make more waffles. "Rather interesting night if anything."

"I'm Robin!"

"No, I'm Robin! You're Batgirl!" Ash watches as the two girls then look over to their grandfather, who attempts hiding behind his newspaper. Faye pouts prettily, bottom lip jutting out. "Papaw, tell Will I'm going to be Robin next cause I'm older!" Jason grabs hold of Ash before she could walk over and launch into a tirade at the two grown men. She fights his hold and he lifts her off the ground, waiting for her to calm down.

"Neither one of you are going to be Robin or Batgirl because your mother would have a heart attack." Jason admonishes, still holding onto Ash. She had stopped fighting though she was glaring daggers at the two men. Ash manages to get Jason to release her, standing only a few steps away incase he needed to grab hold of her again.

"Daddy, did you fight the bad guys?" And Willow turns her blue eyes to her father and he has to fight the urge to turn into a puddle. His girls were going to be the death of his reputation. He looks over to his father and brother, who were watching him expectantly, and then to his wife, who was giving him a look that told him his answer. Guess he was in the dog house now.


	6. Friends

Ash was nervous, this was the first time she was actually going to see where Jason lived. In all the time they had been dating, or sort-of dating seeing as the rest just kind of happened, he would either just stay with her or be gone for months with absolutely no explanation and no contact till he would come back. She had a feeling he was some sort of drug mule maybe.

The wind whipped at her braid behind her back, the sting as it slaps it against her bare skin reminding her that yes she really was awake and Jason really was taking her to his place. She remembered the look on his face when she had asked if he was ever going to take her to his place and the heavy look that fell along with the tension full exhale made her wish she had never opened her mouth. He didn't speak when she was getting ready, or when she got on his bike (which she loved being on for the freedom it let her feel she had), or even now as they sped along the bridges onto the different islands that made up Gotham.

She sucks in a breathe through her teeth when she sees the sign for Crime Alley and the nauseous feeling in her stomach churns uncomfortably. Maybe this really was a _bad idea_ on her part but she had made her bed and she knew she would have to lie in it. Still, she hadn't been this nervous since she was a kid and had visited Gotham the first time but that memory was both good and bad and she mentally shakes her head to rid herself of the memory. Instead she tightens her grip around Jason's waist, the feel of the muscles that made up him grounding her in the here and now. He pats the top of her hands with his left and then its returned to the handle bar, still no words exchanged. He glides the bike around corners and through alleys, smooth and assure though Ash was lost after the first few turns, and then he pulls into a garage that was ragged and run-down even by Crime Alley standards. He parks and gets off, helping Ash afterwards and then closing the door to the garage before leading her to the only other door. He opens it for her and lets her walk through before directing her to the flight of stairs.

Ash follows him up several flights, noting the bullet holes in the walls and the arrows? buried into the doors and the large burn marks littering the floors. Her walking slows down, taking in what all she was seeing and only coming up with fish for some reason. None of what she was witnessing was making sense to her and her heart was hammering in her chest, anxiety skyrocketing. Just who was Jason Todd?

The man in question notices her slowing down and turns around to tell her it was just a few stairs up further when he sees her holding one of Roy's red arrows, turning it over in her hands. The shaft was bent, almost broken, and it had a missing tip. Maybe one of the exploding ones the genius was always trying to perfect? But what makes him stop walking completely was the barely furrowed brow over silver eyes, a brilliant mind scrutinizing every detail of what she was holding but unable to come to a complete picture. It was the frustration he was seeing when those same liquid mercury orbs looked up at him, the silent question hanging in the air. He gives her what he hopes is a gentle smile instead of a grimace and only holds out his hand to her for her to take. Those same orbs travel to his offered hand and for an agonizing heartbeat he sees her debate within, still maddeningly turning the arrow, before she drops the warped weapon and daintily takes his hand. He releases the breathe he _wasn't_ holding and brings her up to the step he stood on. Looking down at her he sees what he always does when he looks at her. A small, quiet woman who takes no shit from anyone, who works hard to be the best trauma surgeon she can be, a gentle heart that openly accepts anyone, and a powerful soul who makes those around want to be their best. She was almost a foot shorter than him and he grins as she starts walking up the steps, taking the lead to figure out the mystery of why exactly they were in a run down building in Crime Alley. He almost lets her walk past the room, almost because he still didn't want the other part of his life to corrupt the pureness of whatever it was they had. And he wouldn't blame her if she ran screaming from it all.

Ash feels when he stops moving, arms straightening out for a second before she stands beside him at an unmarked door. All the doors were unmarked if she admitted and it didn't exactly make her feel better. If anything her nerves were practically vibrating from anxiety. Just what did he do for a living? What happened in this building to make it look like this? Crime Alley wasn't exactly safe but this she thought was different. And then he was pulling a key out of his pocket and for a second she sees him hesitate, as if questioning within himself if this was something that he really wanted to do or not, and then she sees his resolve steel itself and the door was unlocked and opened with two voices shouting out greetings to him.

Suddenly an orange skinned woman was floating before here, red hair trailing behind her in a flaming flow. All green eyes regarded her with contempt and the only way that she knew she was being studied from head to toe was the slight inclination of the woman's head down before it was back up, those same green eyes slightly furrowed.

"Kori, this is Ash." Ash swallows slightly, taking in the woman's fit frame and feeling at a great disadvantage against her. Then there was a red headed man standing beside Kori, all pale skin and freckles with dirt smudging his face, and beams a smile at her with bright brown eyes. "And this is Roy."


	7. Hurt

"Dad, is everything ok?" Faye questions quietly, walking up behind him from her room in the manor. For days they had been there, the two girls staying in their rooms that were across from the one their parents shared when staying with Papaw. The near 16 year old watches as her father leans his head against the door, his normally squared frame she and her sister associated with strength now wilted and small but at the sound of her voice does he try to straighten, a forced form that was meant to keep her from knowing something. "Dad, what happened? Where's Mom?" Her voice breaks at the end, a pit beginning to grow in her stomach.

Jason doesn't turn around, he was trying to find his voice to tell her something. Anything.

"Dad?" And then his resolve breaks as his youngest daughter says his name, sleep thick in her voice. Tears stream down his face, dripping down his face.

But still he doesn't turn around.

He takes a deep breath, swallowing thickly around the lump forming in his throat. "Girls, go to bed. We'll talk in the morning." And then he was going into their room, the door clicking closed behind him.

Faye and Willow look at one another for a moment, Willow's dark hair falling out of the braid she slept in and Faye's own darkening hair falling in waves down her back, and the look that often passed over their mother's face crosses over Faye's. She grabs her sister's hand and drags her quietly down the hall and to the library, pushing the grandfather clock aside, and striding with all the confidence that youthful ignorance allowed down the stairs, still pulling her sister along with her.

She knew something was wrong but didn't feel that their father would tell them everything. Their slippers slap against the stone flooring, alerting all those that were in the cave to their presence. Papaw looks over to them, a deep pain filled look in his eyes that is quickly replaced with one of displeasure. Uncle Damian looks over to them, the younger man's eyes going from his father to his nieces then back again before settling on the girls.

Before either man can open their mouths to tell them they weren't supposed to be there and that they needed to go to bed, Faye opens her own with a tone that was just shy of the authority that their mother possessed from years of practice in her field. "What happened to Mom?" The look was back, this time in both men's eyes, and something struck a cord in Faye's heart. Her silvery-blue eyes widen, tears springing forth to cloud her vision. Willow looks between the three, not really understanding what was silently going on. The 11 year old waits and watches, rubbing at her eyes for a moment before her sister begins to shove her back up the stone steps but doesn't follow. The younger girl stops halfway, enough so that the older people thought that she had left but she was close enough to know what was being said.

Mom had gotten hurt at work, Scarecrow had to have some sort of surgery and with her calm personality the bigwigs had asked her to help. She was checking on the man's vitals when he had gotten a hold of her, using her as a human shield to get out. Some newbie security officer with a headstrong streak though he could shoot the maniac but instead hit the woman. She was now in a medical coma, trying to let her body overcome the damage she had received and the attempt to fix her.

Tears filled the younger girls eyes, sliding down her face in hot tracks and she quietly ascends the rest of the stairs, heading to her bedroom. Her hand was on the door knob to her room when she hears the small broken sob coming from their parents room. She stands frozen for a minute, unsure of what to do. What would mom do?

She swallows thickly, forcing the sobbing that wanted to bubble up to stop, and scrubs the remnants of her own tears from her eyes and the marks they left on her face away. She takes a deep breathe and turns away from her room and to the door of her parents. She knocks once, lightly, and waits to allow her father time to gather himself. When he opens the door, she launches into a tight hug and clings to his neck, dangling off the ground as he holds her close. Tears leak out of his eyes and he unabashedly cries while holding onto his young daughter. She was doing the same thing her mother would be doing if he was having a hard time and finding that there wasn't really anything he could do against the man who had harmed his girl was driving him crazy.

He couldn't do anything as either Jason Todd, son of Bruce Wayne, or as The Red Hood. Bruce was already suing the hospital and the security officer was getting his due diligence. But none of it made him feel any better.

His daughter, though, was doing something that was far beyond what her few years on this earth should have told her to do. She was making sure he was ok,


	8. Surprise

Apparently I'm on a roll today with three updates. Gotta love road trips, especially since I'm just sitting in the back doing nothing.

ENJOY!

* * *

There were many things that had been unexpected in Ash's life. Finishing High School at 16, getting a full ride into college and then being accepted into medical school, finding that she enjoyed being a trauma surgeon had been the biggest she thought but as she looks at the paper work before her and the little white stick sitting side by side on the desk before her had taken the cake.

They both had been positive.

She sits back, the chair giving a slight noise of protest as it leans, and she huffs a breathe out in awe as she looks down at the flat expanse that was her stomach. There was just no way that it could be true but she watched as her blood was taken and the test run and even went and peed on the stupid stick. But it was. She looks up as a rapping on the glass window by one of her coworkers warns her of the arrival of her boyfriend Jason. And suddenly fear floods her mind as she hastily throws away the little stick and covers it with papers, folding the other paper back in half before turning to the door and standing up when the man in question walks in, smelling of stale cigarettes and gunpowder when he hugs her.

He notices the slight hesitation in her touch before she clings to him. "Rough night?" He ask, seeing the folded up paper with her name on it. She leans back from him, slightly forced smile on her face.

"You could say that." There was something about the tone of her voice that set the wheels in his mind to whirling, but he hides it behind a tired smile.

"Same here."

"I noticed." She remarks halfheartedly, grabbing her thick winter coat and putting it on, walking to the door before turning around with an exasperated look. "Please tell me you didn't drive the bike here."

Jason scoffs as he leans against the desk, hand innocently landing on the folded paper. "Of course not. Though we will have to take the train to the apartment. Snow's fucking thick out there." She gives a small giggle and rolls her eyes as she walks out the door to tell everyone she was done and heading home. Jason grabs the folded paper and tucks it into the inside pocket of his jacket. He would look at it later.

The train ride had been rather interesting, an idiot thug had thought he could take Ash away from Jason and the man had shown him just how wrong he had been. He was still drooling on the floor when they exited, after Ash had made sure he wasn't truly hurt, and Jason had made a show of keeping her close to him which ended up being fine with her since the wind had picked up and the weather took a turn, snow falling down in large white lumps and pilling up on the sidewalks and in drifts in the street.

And for the moment Ash forgot about the test and the sudden change in her life. She managed to get away from Jason when there was not a soul in the street around them, balling the snow behind her back and launching the ball at him, pegging him in the left shoulder. He pretends to stagger, clutching said shoulder in mock pain before dipping down and grabbing a handful of snow to return the favor. She squeals happily, taking leaps as she runs away from him as he attempts to shove it down the back of her jacket. She knew he allowed her to knock the fluffy stuff from his hand and instead wraps his arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground to be eye level with him. Her silvery eyes were bright and breathtaking, her nose and cheeks rosy tinted from the cold and running, and on her lips danced a wry smile that was being fought.

This. This was his heaven. This moment for him was everything that he had never had the chance for before his death. And somehow, falling through the roof of a shitty apartment had given him the greatest happiness he had known.

One hand had entwined itself in her hair, angling her head just so and their lips fought for dominance, a clash of personalities that she gave in to so that he would be in charge, something she loved that he did. When they break apart, hot breathes frosting in the cold air and misting over the others face, she smiles as him with an almost shy grace. She knew he was capable of carrying her to the apartment from where they were but she didn't want him to. She liked walking side-by-side with him, clinging to his arm in comfortable silence. They didn't need to talk about their feelings for the other, it was a known thing.

But still he didn't put her down.

"Babe.." And his lips were back on hers, more demanding, teeth and tongue battling until a car goes down the street breaking the magic of the moment. He lets her slide down to the ground, clinging to one another as they walk quickly to the apartment in part to get out of the bitter cold and another part to finish what had begun. It took a few minutes longer than normal because of the snow piles that they had to wade through. Once inside the lobby of the building they relish the warmth, skin prickling as feeling starts to come back, and then they were in the elevator, lips locked almost as soon as the doors closed. Her legs were wrapped around his hips and her back pressed against the metal walls, her hands tangled in his hair, while he had one hand holding her against him around her waist and the other tangled in her hair once more. No time seemed to pass when the doors opened to their floor and he was walking the two of them to their door. Some how he managed to get his keys out of his pocket and the door unlocked and then the two of them inside, locking the door back, and then to the bedroom of the two room apartment. Her jacket was shed at the bedroom door before he tossed her gently on to the bed, the both fumbling to remove clothes when the folded paper flutters from his jacket to the floor, the sound catching her attention long enough to lean down and pick it up. Her heart skips a beat, even as Jason begins to kiss her neck and attempt to help her finish undressing.

"Jay, where did you get this?" She lightly pushes against him when he doesn't answer, holding the paper to his face as he stops.

"Saw it on your desk at work, thought it was important since it had your name on it." He answers with an exasperated sigh, trying to get the paper out of her hand so they could go back to what they had been doing. But he could see the panic in her silvery eyes, could hear when she swallowed nervously. "Babe?"

The unspoken question was answered when she presses the paper into his hand and then she was standing, arms wrapping around her midsection, clad in only her bra and jeans as she waited on him to look. He does so with apprehension, brows furrowing in confusion as he rereads it again. Then a third time. Fourth. The hand holding the paper falls to the bed, brows still furrowed in confusion.

Did she break him?

"Babe, is this..." He gulps past the knot forming in his throat causing him to choke on his words. "Is this a pregnancy test?"

Ash nods in the positive, unable to trust her voice in this moment. Jason rushes off the bed and scoops her up, his touch gentle as if handling glass, and his lips where all over her face planting soft kisses across her eyelids, nose, forehead, cheeks. She giggles happily at his joy, infectious as it is. When he finally gives her a chance to speak she does, holding onto his face. His green eyes were filled with happiness like she had never seen before and it took her a second to force the word from her. "You're not angry?"

"What!? No! How could I be? I honestly never imagined anything like this before, not our relationship, not the happiness from it. This is just the icing on the cake." And his lips were once more on hers, and he walks her to the bed to show her just how happy he was.


	9. Dick

Ash sits up in the hospital bed, frowning at the food that was being placed infront of her. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun by a hair tie, easily out of her way. She was fine dammit, the bullet had barely gotten her.

A single jerky motion has a breathe hissing through her teeth when she reached for her fork. Barely, ha! She was lying to herself and she knew it. That bullet had gone inside of her and decided to bounce around after hitting her ribs to her left arm, settling down in her elbow. She was unbelievable sore, she knew medically that she would be with the damage that had been done to her muscles and bones but the knowledge of what the medical books said and the physical knowledge she was now receiving were two very different things, one that she really couldn't have prepared herself for. The only thing she had going for her at this moment was the fact the girls were in school and Jason was very much making himself busy by both the job at W.E. and his vigilantism at night not to mention their two teenage girls at home keeping him on his toes.

She closes her eyes, taking deep calming breathes before she finally manages to move in a way that doesn't aggravate tender parts of her person. She eats almost half of her meal then her body decides that it was done and sleep was the number one thing it wanted to do. She uses her knees to help push the tray down far enough that she wouldn't accidentally hit her arm on it, after the first time was bad enough. A yawn breaks through, forcing her to close her eyes and relax. However the world seems to have other ideas for her when someone knocks twice on her door before opening and entering before she manages to tell them to come back later. The biting, bitter remark crumbles away from her tongue when she sees Dick with a splay of lilies in hand and a sheepish grin on his face.

"I didn't wake you, did I?" He questions, the hand not holding the flowers scratching at his head in a tale-tale sign of discomfort.

"No, you didn't, though I can't say for certain how much longer I can stay awake." She watches as he gives off a signature grin, one that seemed slightly forced, and wanders over to a side table with an arrangement of mostly dead flowers. He picks at a few of the wilted petals, watching as they fall to the surface. "Dick, what's wrong?"

He gives a short, dry chortle before turning to face her. "Never one to beat around the bush?"

"Truely not one of my strongest suits but seeing as I'm falling asleep as I'm talking to you .." A true smile breaks out over his handsome face, slightly weathered from the years and trials and tribulations he had gone through while on this earth. She felt slightly jealous of him and the barely there crows feet just crinkling the corners of his eyes.

"Having surgery will do that to a person."

"Richard."

"We.. we all kinda blame ourselves ya know." His voice was low, just above a whisper and she wasn't completely sure she had heard him what with her focusing on not closing her eyes and snoring loudly while he was in the room. "Jaybird especially, since he was supposed to pick you up that night."

Ah, that. Jason had done much the same, loudly blaming himself when she was conscious long enough to tell him nothing was his fault. Granted the guard was definitely to blame and Dr. Crane for acting a fool after surgery to get away, but other than that the only other person to blame was herself. She had gotten complacent, had thought the drugs they had administered would be powerful enough to keep the man down. She winces as she moves to sit up a little more, waving the man off when he goes to help her, and she sighs when he puts an overly fluffed up pillow behind her to lean on. "Dick, none of you are to blame. Once I knew who Jason was I realized just what I was getting myself into. I'm not going to say that it was ever easy and we never fought, lord did we fight over it, but life unfortunately happens. This is life. All of this, all the happy times, the sad ones, even the painful ones I would never trade. This, all of you, are my family." She covers her mouth as she yawns, eyes scrunched up to almost closed but she could see well enough the small, happy smile that breaks out over his face as he relaxes. "Now, if you would be so kind as to send in my wayward husband and ridiculous children? I think they've had enough time to figure out what they want to say."


End file.
